Confidence can change. It’s not a you-have-it-or-you-don’t kind of trait. Although confidence may be displayed in lots of different ways, what really makes a person confident is their internal belief in themselves. And there are plenty of little adjustments you can make in your everyday life that will inspire more self-belief!
Believing in yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re amazing at everything. In fact, confidence is all about having a realistic sense of your own capabilities and room to grow. The difference between acting confident and being confident is, ironically, the knowledge that you’re not perfect—and knowing that that’s okay. You won’t feel afraid to be vulnerable about your room for improvement when you’re working hard toward your life goals.
Through determination and following just a few basic daily practices, your confidence is sure to improve. More confidence will not only translate to higher feelings of self-worth, but will also:
- Make it easier to handle pressure
- Help you navigate social situations
- Give others a strong first impression of you
- Lend you more credibility in your life and work
- Make you more attractive to others
Here are five ways to get more confident.
1. Make lists of tasks and mark your progress
Life is hard, and if you’re getting through it, that means you’re already doing so much! Give yourself a pat on the back and take note of the daily accomplishments that get you through each week.
Once you get in the habit of marking your progress on routine accomplishments like making the bed and cooking healthy meals on weekdays, you can incorporate bigger long-term goals, too. Maybe you want to carve out five minutes for meditation every single morning for one month. Or maybe you’ll set an annual savings goal with monthly benchmarks. Whatever your interests are, set your sights on an achievable goal, stay accountable by tracking progress, and go crush it.
2. Get social
Like confidence, friendships are not a you-have-them-or-you-don’t kind of thing. The world is full of diverse groups of people, and your niche is out there somewhere. While some folks find it hard to make friends as an adult, there are actually tons of outside-the-box ways that you can get involved with your local social scene.
Confidence and friendships go hand-in-hand. It’s easier to feel confident when you’re part of a community of people who support you. Plus, it’s easier to make new friends when you feel confident enough to try new things and pursue new experiences!
3. Get active
If you consider confidence holistically, it makes sense to do things that make you feel strong, capable, and full of endorphins. Even better if this physical activity takes place outdoors, giving you a healthy dose of vitamin D from the sunshine, connecting you with nature, and giving you opportunities to explore. A big part of being confident is feeling like you can handle stress and anxiety—regular exercise is always one of the top suggestions for people struggling with these experiences.
Start your fitness journey right away by planning to get active with a Meetup group. For example, on Saturday, July 9, you could join the Dallas Cycling Trail Riders and Weekend Pub Crawler as they hit the path around White Rock Lake. Or, on Sunday, July 10, you could trek through Green-Wood Cemetery and Prospect Park with The New York Afternoon Hiking Meetup.
4. Acknowledge your fear and let it go
Everybody, even your biggest idol, has failed at one time or another. Whether it’s setting a goal and coming up short, or not following through on a goal at all, failure comes for us all. That’s normal.
The important part is what happens next.
Reflect on what caused you not to meet your goals in the past. If you follow those mental threads long enough, they almost always lead back to fear. As Frank Herbet wrote in Dune, “Fear is the mind-killer.” It keeps you in stasis, preventing you from pursuing new experiences and growing in healthy ways. To combat it, don’t try to deny it. Say hello to your fear; say, “I see you.” When you try to hide your fear in some corner of your brain, its shadow grows longer. Bringing it out into the light is the best way to diminish its power over you.
So, if you do some soul-searching and realize one of your fears is public speaking, you could join a biweekly public speaking practice session with the Wilshire Toastmasters Club. If you want to be more artistic, but fear of judgment is stopping you from pursuing your creativity, you could join a totally casual (and totally free!) painting night hosted by the Denver Public Library Programs.
5. Be a leader
Getting some practice as the head of a group, organizer of an event, or even captain of a team can do wonders for your confidence. As legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are made, they are not born.” The only way to get leadership experience is by leading!
Luckily, lots of history’s most prominent leaders have shared their wisdom over the years, which has been compiled into effective leadership strategies that can help guide you when you’re the one in charge.
A great leadership opportunity that’s right at your fingertips is becoming a Meetup organizer! You can easily create your own Meetup group centered around any topic that interests you, and start planning fun experiences for yourself and others! Confidence will come naturally when you see your hobbies deepening, new friendships forming, and a true community springing to life because of you!
Last modified on June 21, 2022
